Oddly Serious
by bluesimageburgundy
Summary: Caroline chats with Stefan after finally finding him after all these months. Caroline's POV as she considers their drifted friendship.


A cool fall breeze rustled the tops of the pines, interrupting the sunset and making beams of sunlight dance across the well-manicured front lawn. I drew my legs up under me and smelled the fresh air. I was beginning to understand why Stefan had decided to escape to this place. An orange cat sauntered from around the corner of the wrap-around porch and made a bed in my lap. I smiled as I stroked it. Stefan had a cat?

"Hope you wanted honey in your tea," Stefan said, emerging from the house and holding out a mug toward me.

He smiled shyly as he noticed the ball of fur in my lap.

"I never pegged you for a cat person," I teased, taking the cup from him and inhaling the lemon/honey scent of it.

"I think I'm still trying to figure out what kind of person I am," he said, striking an oddly serious tone as he sat in the rocking chair next to mine.

I nodded and sipped my tea.

That's what our friendship was at the moment. Oddly serious. Strangely cold. And really weirding me out. I was surprised when he had invited me in, after having ignored my calls and texts for the past few months. But I had said the magic word "Elena". When I looked at him, I could almost see a big "Property of Elena Gilbert" stamp on him. I wanted nothing more than to wash it off. For all of our sakes. Although, right now, it might be the only reason I was sitting here with him now.

The cat stretched, curled up in little ball and began to purr loudly. Stefan smiled at us. I tried not to think about the orange fur all over my black leggings.

I stole a glance over at Stefan as we rocked and watched the trees sway. He looked so peaceful. Sipping his tea, clothed in his soft flannel, his hair messy, his eyes clear and content. He'd really been recharging his batteries out here. I felt a little guilty getting in the way of that. And for resenting him so much. But couldn't he have invited me along? I don't take up much space.

There were bright yellow, orange, red and purple mums in planters all over the porch. I wondered if he'd done that himself. And for a second, I thought I could detect a hint of sweet perfume coming from either the house or his shirt. I raised an eyebrow as the thought occurred to me that maybe he hadn't been out here alone. It wasn't a ridiculous thought.

"It's so quiet and beautiful out here," I began, testing the waters, "Still though...you must have gotten lonely out here all by yourself after all of this time." I sipped my tea, not meeting his eyes.

He hesitated, "...well, I needed some time with my own thoughts. Just me and the great outdoors and all that."

I bristled at his words. Both because he reminded me of how he had left me without a word. And because he was obviously keeping something from me.

"..Still..." he added, reaching over to lay a tea-warmed hand on my arm, "...there were times I missed you."

"Yeah?" I asked, trying not to smile as sweetly as I wanted to.

"Yeah, of course, yeah," he said, stroking his thumb across my skin.

"Like when I needed to know who was winning on Dancing With the Stars or whether or not Kim Kardashian is pregnant again..." he teased, pulling his hand away and sipping his tea.

I laughed and slapped at him playfully, "Shut up!"

"You know, I don't get TV reception out here, so..." he kept on, chuckling and dodging my blows.

Stefan's cat escaped from the ruckus and ran back around the side of the porch where it had come from.

I brushed the orange hair from my legs as I chuckled and shook my head at Stefan's moderately funny attempt at humor. The sun had ducked down behind the trees now, leaving the sky pink and purple in its wake.

"So," Stefan said, "Is Enzo coming back to get you or...?" He was clearly not happy with the fact that I had come with Enzo. But knew that he had no place to be unhappy about it.

"Yeah, I guess so. If I ask him to. He's probably just driving around waiting for me." I tried to sound as casual as possible. Because it was casual. Nothing going on there.

"Are you going to ask him to?" he asked, looking at me then.

"What's the alternative?" I stopped rocking and looked back him. He didn't answer. He didn't want me to stay with him. Obviously or he would have asked me to months ago.

Then I remembered the strange seriousness, coldness and awkwardness that was between us. It had slipped away for a moment, but it was still there. I got another whiff of that perfume. How serious were things with Little Miss Perfume, I wondered. Pointless waste of time wondering about that, though. He'd never tell me.

I stood and stretched my legs, placing my cup on the table between the two white rockers we'd been occupying. Stefan stood with me, taking our cups. So domestic. He tended to be. I thought of the countless cups of tea or coffee or glasses of whiskey or warm blood he had handed me throughout the years. While whatever foe was plotting our demise, whatever drama was flipping our world upside down, there was Stefan handing me a drink. And there was something very comforting about that. Even now, I felt better from just having shared a drink with him.

"I'll text Enzo now. He'll probably be here in a few minutes..." I said, awkwardly.

Stefan nodded, forcing a smile.

"Give me a call later and we'll talk about Elena," he said, all business.

Of course we would. I rolled my eyes inwardly.

"And you're going to answer your phone?" I said, attitude slipping through the cracks of my cool facade.

He smiled and nodded, embarrassed about me calling him out for ignoring me for months.

His cat came back around, rubbing against my legs.

"He likes you," Stefan said, motioning toward the cat, "But who wouldn't?"

I smiled and bit my cheek. That Stefan Salvatore charm. Never fails to make me smile even when I want to be upset.

The crunch of gravel in Stefan's driveway caught our attention.

Stefan scowled in the direction of Enzo's car. I thanked the heavens that Enzo appeared to be silently waiting for me instead of taunting Stefan.

"I guess my ride's here," I said, hesitating before walking to the car.

Stefan sensed what I was waiting for and took a step to close the gap between us. He wrapped me up in his warm flannel-clad arms. My head found its way to the crook of his neck. I thought I heard him sigh contentedly. I know I wanted to. He definitely smelled like perfume mixed with a bunch of other smells of hot guy and fall and beautiful country manor. I tried not to care.

I pulled away and placed a feather-light kiss on his smooth cheek. I tried to memorize the way his skin felt against my lips. Just in case I had to go so long without seeing him ever again. I hoped to god that I wouldn't.

I patted the orange cat on its head again before stepping down the front porch steps toward Enzo's car.

"Caroline," Stefan called after me.

I stopped and spun on the heel of my boots.

"I'm sorry," he said, simply. We both knew what for.

"It's okay," I said, honestly. I knew why he did what he did.

We nodded and smiled, an unspoken agreement to start mending our tattered friendship.

"Take a picture! It'll last longer!" came Enzo's voice as he rolled down his window and stuck his head out.

Stefan rolled his eyes and shook his head, walking back inside and all but slamming the door behind him.

I raised an unamused eyebrow at Enzo before getting in the car.

"I'm going to kill you," I said, punching him in the arm of his jacket as I sat.

He laughed and started to back out.

"So, did you and your boyfriend kiss and make up?" Enzo teased.

I tried to be mad but I just felt too good. Peaceful. Happy. Settled. So I ignored Enzo and watched in the rear view mirror as Stefan's beautiful country home disappeared from view.


End file.
